Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

Mizzou conflict ignites Purdue protest

A unified mass of about 180, students, faculty and community members from all different racial backgrounds marched, Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, on the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette to promote racial justice.(Photo: Taya Flores/Journal & Courier)

"They have ignited a fire that we thought was quelled here," organizers wrote on the Purdue Social Justice Coalition Facebook page. "Their experiences at #Mizzou are not isolated, we at Purdue have faced much racism as well."

Students decided to create a social media blast from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday and Friday. They ask fellow peers to tell their experiences of racial injustice and tag them with the hashtags #HowManyMoreFires, #BoilersofPurdue and #BlackonCampus (some of those tweets have been included below).

They also organized a Mizzou Solidarity Rally for 2:15 p.m. Friday at the painted tree on campus and encourage participants to wear all black.

Last December, the Purdue Social Justice Coalition quickly organized a grassroots protest and march in response to police shooting deaths of black men in Ferguson, Missouri and New York City. The students used the national instances of racial instability to address racial profiling and harassment on campus and in Greater Lafayette.

Purdue University President Mitch Daniels also released a statement Wednesday addressing issues this week at the University of Missouri and Yale University.

He also touted Purdue's commitment to free speech, noting that last year student governments created a "strengthened statement of policies protecting free speech," following the student-led initiative, "We Are Purdue Statement of Values."

"What a proud contrast to the environments that appear to prevail at places like Missouri and Yale," he said in the statement.